Logan: Patrick Stewart Explains Why The Film Is Unique

02/16/2017 11:14 pm EST

Superhero films have become a cultural staple of Hollywood, with dozens planning to be released in the coming years across major studios such as Marvel, Warner Brothers, and 20th Century Fox. With this trend hitting an all-time high - some have even called it an overabundance - superhero movies need to go to new lengths to break the mold of expectations in place for them.

The newest entry in 20th Century Fox's catalog of films, Logan, aims to do just that. And according to one of its stars, Patrick Stewart, it absolutely succeeds.

Stewart, who plays an aging Charles Xavier/Professor X in the film, revealed to Collider that the film captivated him from the second he started reading the script.

"When I saw the first screenplay – the first draft – I was stunned. Shocked. Surprised. And delighted, because diversity has been such an important part of my life and work for over 50 years. 'Please, please, give me something new and different to do. Don't make me repeat the same thing over and over again.' And this was certainly different."

From the moment its first trailer premiered, Logan has captured fans' interests for being a unique entry into the X-Men canon. And Stewart seems to have felt a similar connection to the project, one that motivated him to return to the role of Professor X that he has been playing across sixteen years.

"Page by page," he explained, "I saw this developing. I was intrigued and excited by the prospects that stayed with me until the last moment on camera."

Aside from the film's script, Stewart pointed out that the cast and crew are what made Logan such a unique project.

"To be, once more, working with Hugh [Jackman], who I've been working with from the very beginning, with James [Mangold], who I'd only done one day's worth of work in the past, but I enjoyed it. And then to be in the company… Dafne Keen, who is the youngest member of the cast and is quite extraordinary. Working with her and with Hugh was a huge highlight."

Logan hits theaters on March 3, 2017. Make sure to let us know whether or not you're hyped for the film with our Anticipation Rankings below!

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In 2024 the mutant population has shrunk significantly and the X-Men have disbanded. Logan, whose power to self-heal is dwindling, has surrendered himself to alcohol and now earns a living as a chauffeur. He takes care of the ailing old Professor X whom he keeps hidden away. One day, a female stranger asks Logan to drive a girl named Laura to the Canadian border. At first he refuses, but the Professor has been waiting for a long time for her to appear. Laura possesses an extraordinary fighting prowess and is in many ways like Wolverine.

She is pursued by sinister figures working for a powerful corporation; this is because her DNA contains the secret that connects her to Logan. A relentless pursuit begins … In this third cinematic outing featuring the Marvel comic book character Wolverine we see the superheroes beset by everyday problems. They are ageing, ailing and struggling to survive financially. A decrepit Logan is forced to ask himself if he can or even wants to put his remaining powers to good use. It would appear that in the near-future, the times in which they were able put the world to rights with razor sharp claws and telepathic powers are now over.

Logan stars Hugh Jackman (Logan), Boyd Holbrook (Donald Pierce), Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Dafne Keen (Laura Kinney/X-23), Doris Morgado (Maria), Stephen Merchant (Caliban), Elizabeth Rodriguez (Gabriela), and Richard E. Grant (Dr. Zander Rice). James Mangold is directing and helped on the screenplay along with Scott Frank and Michael Green.

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